Plateless printing process



April 21, 1970 A. H. TORONGO, JR.. ET AL 3,507,674

PLATELESS .PRINTING PROCESS Filed oct. 2s, 1965 ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Office 3,507,674 Patented Apr. 21, 1970 U.S. Cl.117-10 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention isbroadly concerned with a unique -type of printing apparatus and with theprocess of its operation and is more specifically concerned with aprinting assembly which provides an inexpensive method of applyingvarious color designs to a web of material such as paper, ber or cloth.

The present invention is broadly concerned with a unique type ofprinting apparatus and with the process f its operation. The inventionis more specifically concerned with a printing assembly which providesan inexpensive method of applying various color designs to a web ofmaterial such as paper, ber 0r cloth. In essence the present printingassembly comprises an interrelated combination of unique ink or colorapplications which are activated to produce many decorative designs andpatterns.

It is known in the art to use many types of equipment and techniques toimpart decorative designs to base material, such as web cloths. However,equipment now used is relatively expensive and is cumbersome;particularly if changes are made in the design pattern. The printing apparatus and technique of the present invention is relativelyinexpensive, and readily is adapted for the production of many variousdesigns and colorful patterns. The present invention may be fullyunderstood by reference to the drawings illustrating adaptations of thesame.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatical sketch of the overall assembly. FIGURE 2 isa view showing the serrated applicator blade and a textured paper, whileFIGURE 3 shows an adaptation utilizing a textured conveying belt.Referring to FIGURE l, a roll of base stock material is suitablysupported, so as to be unwound at the desired rate. A reserve stocksupply roll 11 may be positioned below the roll 10 which is beingprocessed. The base stock may comprise paper, cloth or any other type ofmaterial which is adaptable for imprinting designs thereon. The material10 unrolls and preferably passes under a guide roll 12 and along asupporting structure 13. An ink reservoir, preferably a multicell type14 is suitably positioned above table or structure 13. The various cellscontain ink of different colors or other types of coloring or dyeingfluids. These inks are applied to the moving cloth by suitable conduits15 ahead of blade or spreading element 16.

Blade 16 is preferably serrated so as to impart many various designs tothe paper. The inked or colored cloth or paper passes through a seriesof pulleys or rollers arranged vertically in a drier, furnace, or dryingzone 17 which surrounds a substantial portion of the vertical travel ofthe base material as illustrated in FIG. 1. Conventional heating meansand conveying means are used to pass the cloth through the drying zone.A second ink reservoir 18 is positioned after zone 17. Ink fromreservoir 18 passes through ducts 19 and is imparted to the moving paperbefore a second application blade 20. The paper or lm then is passedthrough a second drying zone 21, and then wound on product roll 22.

FIGURE 2 illustrates textured paper 25, passing beneath a serrated blade26. Thus when ink is placed on the paper prior to blade 26, variousdesigns, hues and tints of various depths will be imparted to the paperwhen it passes beneath the serrated lower edge of blade 26. As clearlyshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, paper 25 and belt 32 are textured and have avariance in thickness when measured through the crests or through thevalleys therein.

FIGURE 3 shows paper or base cloth 30 being conveyed beneath plate 31 bymeans of a textured conveying belt 32 which is a conventional continuousdesign. This results in a textured colored product having many hues andtints. In accordance with a preferred embodiment blades 16 and 30oscillate at right angles across the material.

Thus, the present process is concerned with a plateless printing processwhich may be used in many combinations to decorate web fed materials. Afirst blade functions to spread ink or any liquid coloring materialacross the surface of material such as paper, plastic, fabric, etc.being passed beneath the blade. This would yield a film of color acrossthe surface of the -web whose only variation would be due todifferentials in absorption rate within the web. Thus by providing nicksor serrations in the contact edge of the blade, thicker ribbons of inkwill pass thereunder thereby creating a stripe pattern.

Also, by oscillating the serrated blade at right angle to the directionof movement of the web, the stripes are made to form various parallelundulations. By backing the web with a textured felt which moves at thesame speed as the paper, a pleasing effect is secured if the web islflexible enough to conform even slightly to the texture of the belt. Thesystem may be modified to include additional ink and blade stations tosecure other decorative products.

The present continuous-in-line, draw-printing system has manyadvantages. It is a relatively low cost system particularly relative togravure and eliminates normal printing operations. The equipment isrelatively inexpensive and permits unique patterns having greater deptheffects. As a matter of fact, it has unlimited color and tone effectsand special colorful patterns are readily attained by textured papers.The system is especially effective for use with wood grains since itcreates great depth. A very quick pattern changeover can be readilysecured and permits flexibility, allowing special and short runs as wellas large production runs, with minimum inventories.

To create patterning, the following things can be done:

(1) Nicks or serrations can be made in the contact edge of the bladewhich allows predetermined and dimensioned ribbons of ink to pass,thereby creating a stripe pattern.

(2) By oscillating one or more nicked or serrated blades at a rightangle (or oblique angle, if desired) to the web movement, the stripescan be made to form various parallel undulations.

(3) By carrying the web with a textured belt rather than a smoothsurface, and moving the belt at the same speed as the web, aread-through of the texture will be formed in the ink pattern if the webis flexible enough to conform, even slightly, to the texture. Apre-textured web would accomplish the same ends.

(4) By introducing areas of greater or lesser absorption, a pattern willbe created. For example, a rubber coated roller, when wet with water,will form water beads on its surface. When these beads are transferredto the web areas, reduced absorption is created.

(5) By introducing more than one color, within the prescribed areas, tothe web behind the blade, stripes can be made.

Any number of the five above-stated methods can be used with each otherto form a blade station. By adding bladetations. and diirsfitsrrtians.91.1.. the bladesmore colors and pattern variations can be obtained.

While the advantages ofour system are readily apparent, the main pointsmay be summarized as follows:

(1) ,Low cost, particularly relative to gravure.

. (2) Complete elimination of all normal printing 'operations.

(3) 'In-plant decoration and design control.

(4) Only small amount of relatively inexpensive equipment required.Might be a basic system associated with any other.

(5) Unique pattern, and greater depth effects.

(6) Unlimited color and tone effects possible.

(7) Plain paper, or special effects by use of textured papers.

(8) Especially effective for any wood grains with great depth.

(9) Patterns, designs and equipment would be difficult to copy bycompetition.

` (10) Very quick pattern changeover.

(ll) For small order custom work, but also adaptable to large volume aswell.

(12) Wide speed range in production. One machine could feed numeroustreaters, for example, a melamine coating for a large pressure laminate,such as, Micarta (trademark of Westinghouse Electric Company), andFormica (trademark of American Cyanamid Company)- (13) Capable ofcoloring paper in line just prior to design. Reducing inventories ofvarious colored stock to one or two, less wasted space and materialwithin the plant.

Thus, it is seen that our system has many advantages as set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

' 1. Process for imprinting a decorative design pattern upon a texturedbase material carried by a textured carrying belt which compriseswithdrawing a color from a reservoir and placing the same upon thetextured material carried by the textured carrying belt thereby forminga film on said textured material, passing, through a substantialhorizontal run, the film and textured material on the textured carryingbelt beneath and in contact with Va lower serrated edge of a bladewhereby stripes of colors of varying depths will result, theconfiguration of the textured material, the textured carrying belt, andthe serrated ed geo f tl 1e blade being differentand not matchingwhereby to produce a non-recurring pattern, and drying said film bypassing said textured material through a drier.

2. Process for imprinting a decorative design pattern upon a base oftextured material carried by a textured belt which comprises withdrawingdifferent colors from a multicell reservoir and placing the same uponthe texturedmaterial carried by the textured belt thereby forming afirst film on said textured material, passing, through a substantialhorizontal run, the film and textured material on the textured carryingbelt beneath and in contact with the lower serrated edge of a firstblade whereby stripesl of different colors of Varying depths will besecured, the configuration of the textured material, the texturedcarrying belt, and the serrated edge of the blade being different andnot matching whereby to produce a nonrecurring pattern, and drying saidfirst film by passing 'said textured material through a drier,thereafter applying a second film of color to said first film on saidtextured material, passing the textured material and said first andsecond films beneath and in contact with the lower edge of a secondblade, and thereafter drying the'same by passing said base material andsaid films through a second drier.

3. The process as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one of saidblades oscillates at right angles across the direction of movement ofsaid textured material and film.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 371,155 10/1887 Videto. 1,741,69712/1929 Hampson 118-102 1,813,587 7/1931 Sindler 117-10 2,108,952 2/1938Urban 118-413 X 2,115,752 5/1938 Stumpp 118-412 X 2,910,724 11/1959Grajeck 118-413 X 3,353,985 11/1967 Harrison 117-37 2,067,488 1/1937Hough 117-45 XR 2,798,820 7/1957 Nelson 117-45 XR 2,861,009 11/1958Rubner 117-45 XR 2,937,955 5/1960 Loonier 117-45 XR DAVID KLEIN, PrimaryExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R. 117-45

